Baiting the Trap
by Harliquinn
Summary: During a trip to the island Duncan discovers a woman washed up on the shore. Little does he know she has been left there for a reason. Chronologically this story takes place sometime after the fifth season, but in a slightly alternate universe. In this universe, the "Ariman" storyline and the entire sixth season never happened. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This story was original posted on the Seventh Dimension Highlander Fanfiction website in 1999. It also has the distinction of being the very first fanfiction I wrote. I decided to download the stories and post them here. Other than doing some editing to correct typos and to make it flow better, I've left the work pretty much the same as when it was originally posted. Hope you enjoy.

As always, if you like what I have written, please review or send me your comments.

Synopsis: During a trip to the island Duncan discovers a woman washed up on the shore. Little does he know she has been left there for a reason. Chronologically this story takes place sometime after the fifth season, but in a slightly alternate universe. In this universe, the "Ariman" storyline and the entire sixth season never happened.

Rated: M for violence.

**BAITING THE TRAP**

It was only about an hour after dawn when Duncan MacLeod jogged down the path that ran along the shoreline on the far side of his island retreat. A flash of color in the nearby water caught his attention. He thought it was probably trash discarded by some careless boater or camper. Even after four centuries of life, the immortal Scotsman couldn't understand the disregard some people had for nature. He decided to interrupt his morning exercise to retrieve whatever it was before some unfortunate animal came across it and was injured or killed.

Only it wasn't a piece of discarded trash Duncan found, but a woman laying half in and half out of the frigid water of Crystal Lake. He quickly pulled her up onto the sandy beach. The woman was mortal, and she was barely alive. Her breathing was so shallow it was almost undetectable, and her pulse was barely present. The temperature of both the air and the water were near freezing. Duncan knew without a doubt that, unless he got this woman to his cabin and warmed up quickly, she would die from exposure. He shed his jacket and wrapped it around the woman's slight body. It would provide her with some measure of warmth during the nearly mile-long hike back to his log cabin tucked away in the woods on the other side of the island.

Once at the cabin, Duncan quickly carried the unconscious woman upstairs to the loft bedroom. After stripping off her torn and ragged clothing and drying her off, he wrapped her wet hair in a towel and redressed her in a sweat suit that had been left behind by Tessa after her last visit to the cabin. He then tucked her underneath the down comforter and spread an extra blanket over her for added warmth.

MacLeod tried to keep his interest in the woman clinical. But while ministering to her he couldn't help but notice her small, slender body. She was no more than five feet two inches tall and couldn't weigh more than a hundred pounds. Her curly hair would probably be dark auburn and shoulder-length when it was clean and dry. Her skin underneath its bluish tinge was porcelain with a smattering of freckles over her nose and shoulders. He estimated her age to be around twenty.

Duncan was slightly intrigued by the small, colorful butterfly tattoo located just above her right hipbone. However, he was greatly disturbed by the red welts that covered her back and the bruises that encircled her wrists and ankles. Those marks weren't created by anything she could have encountered in the lake. He didn't want to contemplate how she could have come by them.

Duncan broke from his reverie to go downstairs to retrieve several armloads of firewood from the pile just outside the backdoor. After building a roaring fire in the bedroom fireplace, he returned downstairs to start a broth using the meat from a deer he had brought down the day before.

He decided to radio the sheriff in Beaver Falls, the nearest town, to report finding the woman. The sheriff told the Scotsman that no missing person's report had been filed for a woman fitting her description. He promised to notify Duncan if one was filed.

That done, MacLeod returned upstairs to check on his guest. Her coloring was only marginally better, and her skin was still cold to the touch. Because he knew of nothing else he could do to warm her up in a short period of time, Duncan slipped off his shoes and crawled underneath the covers. He pulled the woman into the curve of his body and wrapped himself around her.

Between the blazing fire, the warm covers, and the shared body heat, Duncan soon grew drowsy and fell asleep. A slight movement from the body tucked so close to his own woke him a few hours later. Before he could extricate himself the woman screamed and a flailing fist caught him in the eye. Letting loose with a few choice Celtic curses, Duncan quickly worked his way out of the bed. The woman scrambled to press up against the headboard, trying to make herself as small as possible. Her eyes held the wild look of a trapped animal.

"My name is Duncan MacLeod. I promise I won't harm you."

She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was so dry she could only manage a weak croak.

"Don't try to speak. I started a venison broth a few hours ago. It should help you warm up some. It'll probably help your throat as well." Duncan slowly backed away from the bed. He didn't want to make any sudden movements and scare this young woman any more than she already was. "I'll just run downstairs and get you some."

When MacLeod returned to the loft bedroom, the woman was still pressed against the headboard. She had pulled the down comforter up under her chin. However, its warmth wasn't enough to keep her from shivering with cold. She shrank back even further when Duncan entered the room and approached the bed.

"Here, drink this." He set down the straight-back chair he'd carried up from the kitchen table and offered the large earthenware mug to her. "It should help you warm up a little." She tentatively reached out and took the mug from him and immediately returned to her huddled position. "Sip it carefully, it's very hot."

Duncan stepped back from the bed and turned the chair so that its back was to the bed. He sat, straddling the chair back, and watched as the young woman took a few tentative sips of the broth.

While she sipped the hot broth, she contemplated the man in whose arms she had awakened. He was tall with an olive complexion and long, nearly black hair that had been pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His brown eyes showed kindness and honesty. They also hinted at long buried pain and something else that she couldn't quite identify. She remembered the warmth and security she had felt laying in his arms before the overwhelming panic and fear had set in. She instinctively knew that she could trust this man with her life.

Finished with the venison broth, she eased away from the headboard and handed the empty mug back to MacLeod. Despite the warmth of the hot liquid she still felt chilled, so she pulled the comforter back up around her shoulders. "I don't mean to seem rude or inconsiderate, but where am I? How did I get here?"

"Early this morning I found you washed up on the other side of this island. You were nearly dead from exposure, so I brought you back here to my cabin. I dried you off and tucked you into bed. You… um… woke up in my arms because I was trying to warm you up using my body heat."

"I'm on an island? Where?" She had no idea how she could have come to be washed up on this island, much less where this island might be.

"We're on my island tucked away in the northwest corner of Crystal Lake, about ten miles from Beaver Falls, the nearest town. As to how you came to be here, I was hoping you could answer that question. By the way, I've told you my name, but I have no idea what to call you. I can't just call you 'Hey, You.' "

The young woman was silent for several minutes. During that time various emotions, including confusion and fear, showed on her face. She had allowed the comforter to slip down into her lap, and she watched her hands playing with the hem. "I'm not really sure what my name is, but 'Sarah' keeps popping into my head. I don't know if that's my name, or if it's someone I know."

Duncan moved to sit on the side of the bed. He took her chin in his hand, managing to hide his frown when she flinched away from his touch. He didn't let go of her chin, but rather raised it until her eyes met his. Green. He should have known her eyes would be a clear, grass green. "It's going to be okay. We'll just call you Sarah until we discover whether or not it's your name. Do you remember anything else, like where you're from?" Duncan released his hold on her chin and took one of her hands in his own. He rubbed his thumb gently over a section of the bruises circling her slender wrist. They looked to be marks left by something binding her wrists. "Or how you came by these bruises?"

Unbelievable fear filled Sarah. She pulled her hand out of Duncan's grasp and huddled under the comforter. Tears filled her eyes. "I don't know. I can't remember anything about myself. Oh, Duncan, I'm scared. Why can't I remember?"

Duncan pulled Sarah into his arms and held her while she cried. "You're safe. Nothing will happen to you here. I promise. As for your lack of memory, I wouldn't worry too much about that. I'm sure it will come back to you. Just give it some time." He continued to hold Sarah while she cried, whispering soothing sounds and comforting words until she fell into an exhausted slumber. He tucked her back into bed and, after feeding more wood into the fire, went downstairs to contemplate what he had learned about his guest.

It may have been true that her memory would return in time, but he wasn't so sure that it would be such a good thing. He suspected that her memory loss was due to some horribly traumatic experience. One that was undoubtedly responsible for the welts and bruises covering her body and her washing up on his island. Duncan made up his mind that he wouldn't rest easily until he discovered what had happened to this young woman who had so suddenly been placed in his care.

Over the next two or three hours Duncan spent his time reading and checking on Sarah. She was sleeping soundly with no apparent signs of ill effects from her exposure to the frigid water. He let her sleep, figuring that the rest would probably be the best medicine for her.

He soon became restless, his body yearning for activity. After shoving the living room furniture out of the way to make room for easy, unrestricted movement, Duncan stripped off his heavy flannel shirt. Dressed only in his jeans and socks, he began a series of stretching movements that soon became more and more complex and rapid. He ended one kata and began to move into another when a noise caught his attention.

It was Sarah standing at the top of the stairs. She was wrapped in the extra blanket from the bed. Even from a distance Duncan could see her swaying on her feet from weakness. He started toward her, intent on reaching her before she passed out and fell down the stairs. When Duncan reached the top of the stairs, he effortlessly lifted Sarah into his arms, blanket and all. "You're too weak to be getting out of bed on your own. You should have called for me."

Cradled as she was against his broad, muscular, sweat-dampened chest, Sarah felt a weakness that wasn't entirely due to the effects of her exposure to the elements. She sighed as she inhaled Duncan's scent – fresh air, pine trees, and that purely masculine scent that was uniquely Duncan McLeod. A sudden discomfort spreading through her abdomen reminded her of the purpose of her little trip. "Um, Duncan, I, ah, kind of need to use the facilities."

Duncan was slightly startled by Sarah's request. "I don't have in-door plumbing. The outhouse is about a hundred yards behind the cabin." He carried her down the stairs and laid her down on the couch, which had been shoved up against the far wall. "I'll just find you a pair of shoes to slip on, then I'll carry you out there. You're too weak to make it on your own." He returned a few minutes later carrying a pair of expensive-looking women's hiking boots. "These will probably be too big, but they'll serve the purpose."

Sarah wondered why this man would have women's clothing on hand. She pondered the question during the trip to the outhouse and back. After Duncan had tucked her back into bed and had brought her another mug of venison broth, Sarah asked the question that had been plaguing her. "Duncan, I've been wondering. Who do these clothes belong to? Is there someone else here I don't know about?"

A wave of overwhelming sadness washed over Duncan. He hadn't thought of Tessa Noel for several weeks. The agony and despair he'd felt after her death to a mugger's bullet came rushing back, momentarily paralyzing him, as it did whenever he was caught unprepared by the flood of emotions. "We're alone here. The clothes were left behind by my girlfriend, Tessa."

Sarah had watched has sadness swept across Duncan's features. She almost knew the answer to her question before she asked it. "Is she waiting for you at home?"

"No. She was killed during a mugging attempt several years ago. I just haven't been able to bring myself to get rid of her things. When we make it back to civilization, I'll buy you some things of your own."

Sarah nodded her understanding, silently telegraphing sympathy for his loss. "I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry."

Duncan smiled a sad smile and nodded his gratitude. "Thank you. Now I think you should go back to sleep. I'll be downstairs. Just yell if you need anything. Don't try and get out of bed on your own."

Sarah stared after Duncan as he abruptly left the room. She tried to follow his orders, but the thoughts and questions racing through her mind kept her awake late into the night. Why did she feel such a kinship to Duncan's loss? Had she recently lost someone she loved? If so, who was it and how did they die? Was that person's death related to her memory loss and how she had ended up on this island?

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX

A week after Sarah had washed up on his island, Duncan decided she was strong enough to make the trip to Seacouver. He again contacted the sheriff in Beaver Falls to let him know they were relocating to the loft apartment over Duncan's martial arts dojo. Duncan wasn't the least bit surprised when the sheriff informed him that there still had been no missing person's report

filed for anyone matching Sarah's description. He fully intended to contact Joe Dawson and have his friend put his many resources to work finding any information he could on the young woman.

Sarah and Duncan left the cabin shortly after dawn and arrived at the dojo approximately eight hours later. Duncan was deeply concerned about her. During the trip home she had become lethargic and had developed a deep, chest-rattling cough. As soon as they reached the dojo, he tucked her into bed. After fixing her a cup of hot tea, Duncan placed a call to Anne Lindsey. She promised to come by in a few hours after her shift at the hospital.

While waiting for Anne, Duncan made a quick trip to the grocery store and fixed a light dinner. He roused Sarah from her nap, and she managed to eat a few bites before going back to sleep. He also placed a call to Joe. The Watcher listened to Duncan's story and Sarah's description and promised to find out what he could. Duncan could tell from the sound of his friend's voice that there was something Joe wasn't telling him, and it didn't bode well. Usually when Joe kept information from him, it meant there was either another immortal around or Watcher business was about to become dangerous for the immortals.

He had no sooner hung up the telephone after talking to Joe than the intercom announced Anne's arrival. Glancing over at the still sleeping Sarah, Duncan activated the elevator. When it reached the loft, he opened the grate and greeted Anne and her two year old daughter, Mary. As soon as she spotted her favorite "uncle" Mary held out her arms and launched herself out of her

mother's hold toward Duncan. He easily caught the little bundle of energy and settled her on his hip. One of her small hands clutched the back of his shirt and the other one clutched a ragged teddy bear. She grinned her most charming smile and greeted him, "Hi, Du'ca'." He smiled at her abbreviated version of his name. "How's my sweet Mary, hmm?"

Anne watched the interaction between her daughter and her former lover. She knew that she would never completely get over Duncan MacLeod, but she couldn't face the more violent and deadly aspects of his immortality. "I'm sorry, but Mary's babysitter cancelled at the last minute, and I couldn't find another one on such short notice."

Duncan settled Mary in a large antique chair and gave her a picture-filled magazine to keep her occupied for a few minutes. After promising Mary that they would play later, he pulled Anne into the kitchen area and told her everything he knew about Sarah. He then woke Sarah and told her who Anne was and why she was there. Taking Mary in his arms, he informed the two women that he was going to have a little chat with his favorite girl and took the stairs down to the dojo.

An hour later Anne took the elevator down to the dojo. Seeing that the main room was empty, she headed toward the office. She paused when she spotted her daughter curled up, fast asleep against Duncan's broad chest. A book of children's fairytales was lying closed on the desk. Feelings of pity and regret followed fast on the heels of the thought that MacLeod would have made a wonderful father.

She stepped into the office door and cleared her throat to get Duncan's attention. "Mac…" Duncan gestured for Anne to be quiet then stood and gently laid Mary on the office's couch. After covering the sleeping toddler with a light afghan, he took Anne's arm and led her back into the main room, closing the office door behind him. "Well, how is she?"

Anne sat on a weight bench. "She has a respiratory infection. I don't think it's pneumonia, but I can't really be sure without tests. When I mentioned the possibility of taking her to the hospital, Sarah nearly became hysterical. I don't think we should press the issue unless it becomes absolutely necessary. I gave her an injection, and I've written a prescription for a strong antibiotic. Get it filled tomorrow morning. She also needs plenty of rest and lots of fluids."

Duncan nodded. "What about the bruises and welts? Was she able to tell you anything about them?"

Anne shook her head. "She doesn't remember how she got them." She stood and walked over to a nearby window. Bracing her hands on the ledge she continued, "I'm not surprised that she doesn't remember. I've seen marks like those before on victims of abuse. The bruises are consistent with her having been bound hand and foot, probably with a thin nylon rope. They're almost completely healed, so I would just let nature take its course. The welts look like a leather belt or a whip could have caused them. They're still tender and are starting to scab over in places. Apply a lotion or cream containing vitamin E and aloe to them regularly, and it should help prevent any scar tissue from forming."

Anne turned back to look at Duncan. "That young woman is going to need psychiatric help, whether or not she remembers what happened to her. I'll give you the name of a good psychiatrist." She began gathering her things in preparation to leave. When she was done Duncan lifted Mary into his arms and followed Anne out to her car. After she strapped Mary into her car seat Anne turned to Duncan. "I'll stop by tomorrow to check on her. She'll be fine, Mac. You're too stubborn to let anything happen to her. And believe me, if she's going to recover from this, she's going to need all the help and strength she can get."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: This story was originally posted in several parts as one long document. I've decided to break it up into smaller chapters. As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read my work. It's been interesting going back and revisiting something I'd written so long ago.

Warning: This chapter contains a scene of rape and torture. If that bothers you, please do not read it.

**CHAPTER 2**

Four days had passed since Sarah and Duncan had returned to the dojo. She was starting to Recover from the respiratory infection and was beginning to become a very poor patient, arguing with Duncan over the need for continued bed rest and everything else that wasn't to her liking. For Duncan, it was a constant struggle to keep from losing his temper. His concern over Sarah's health and well being was nearly matched by his concern that he hadn't heard anything from Joe. It all came to a head that afternoon when Duncan returned to the loft to find Sarah, not only out of bed and dressed, but halfway out the door leading to the loft apartment's outside stairway.

"Just where do you think you are going?" He dumped the bag of groceries on the counter and stalked over to the doorway, where Sarah was standing. He took her by the upper arm and none too gently pulled her back into the apartment and pushed her down into a high-backed wing chair.

When she had heard the elevator begin its climb she had frozen, not sure whether to leave and face Duncan's anger later or to hurry to the couch and pretend like she hadn't been planning to leave. Unfortunately, he arrived before she had a chance to make up her mind. Now, looking up into his angry face, she wished she had just left. She was starting to go stir-crazy due to lack of activity.

"Oh, come on, Duncan, there's nothing to get upset about. I was just going for a walk. All this inactivity is going to drive me insane. I may not remember much about my life before I showed up on your doorstep, but I suspect I didn't just lie around in bed all day, especially for more than a week at a time."

"Nothing to get upset about?" Duncan couldn't believe what he had just heard. In an effort to expend some of his temper on something other than the young woman sitting in front of him, he began pacing back and forth. "Two days ago, you were so weak you couldn't get to the bathroom by yourself. Now, you were just going to take a walk like nothing had happened." His tirade was interrupted by the sound of the gears of the elevator working to lower it to the first floor. He stopped pacing and moved to stand leaning over Sarah, bracing his hands on the arms of the chair, so that his face was close to hers. "We're not finished with this. Now, I suggest you return your jacket and your tennis shoes to where you found them and make yourself comfortable on either the bed or the couch. Watch television, listen to the stereo, read a book. I don't care what you do. But you're not going anywhere anytime soon."

He leveled his most intimidating glare on Sarah, then turned and walked over to the elevator. When it arrived to reveal Joe Dawson as his visitor, Duncan lifted the grate and boarded the elevator before Joe could even take a step toward the loft. "Let's do this downstairs." Dawson knew MacLeod well enough to know better than argue when he was in that kind of mood. He also knew that he was only going to make Duncan's mood worse when he shared what information he'd managed to dig up on Duncan's guest.

The two men entered the dojo office. Joe went straight to Duncan's desk and laid his brief case on top. He then withdrew a bottle of Scotch and two shot glasses from one of the desk drawers. He poured two fingers of the amber liquid into each shot glass, kept one for himself and handed the other to Duncan. In response to Duncan's questioning look Dawson replied, "You're going to need it. I'm afraid the news isn't good, my friend." Joe moved around the desk and walked over to the window. The squeak of his rubber-tipped cane against the hardwood floor was the only sound in the room.

Duncan moved to lean his hip against the desk. He set the untouched shot glass on the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. While he understood his friend's need to gather his thoughts, Duncan was impatient to learn whatever information Joe had been able to dig up. "Well?"

Joe downed his Scotch in one swallow and turned to face the immortal. "Her name isn't Sarah." He held up a hand to forestall Duncan's response. "Hold on. Just hear me out."

Joe retrieved his brief case from Duncan's desk, opened it and withdrew a manila folder containing two missing person reports and a photograph. He handed the folder to Duncan then continued. "About a month ago missing person reports were filed in Seattle for eighteen year old twin sisters named Sarah and Leigh Gillian. The twins were identical and matched the description you gave me."

Joe's use of the past tense caught Duncan's attention. "Were? Joe, what are you trying to tell me?"

"Two weeks ago a body was found in a warehouse on our fair city's waterfront. The body was positively identified as Sarah Gillian." Joe paused and reached for the bottle of Scotch. He poured himself another drink before continuing. "She had apparently been bound hand and foot, beaten and raped before her throat was slit."

That information brought Duncan to his feet. He was suddenly even more concerned for the young woman upstairs in the loft. "Go on."

"There was evidence that someone else had been held there as well."

"Leigh."

"Yeah. At least, that's what the authorities think. But, they have no clue as to where she might be now."

"That's not all, is it, Joe? What haven't you told me?"

Joe collapsed onto a chair in the corner of the office. It was as if all his energy had fled and it was a monumental effort just to speak. "One of my people spotted an immortal named Egan Kellar leaving the warehouse the day before Sarah's body was discovered. He was spotted again the next day on the road leading to Crystal Lake."

Duncan remembered the forgotten glass of Scotch. After locating it on his desk, he downed the drink, stealing himself for what was coming next. "You think Kellar kidnapped Sarah and Leigh Gillian and took them to the warehouse, where he proceeded to torture both women and rape and murder Sarah. He then dumped Leigh on the island, where I'd be sure to find her. Was he even looking for me? Or did he just happen across the presence of an immortal and dump her there, hoping she'd somehow lead him back to whoever the immortal was?"

Duncan thought back to his time on the island before he had found the young woman. Before starting out on his morning run, he'd thought he'd felt the presence of another immortal in the distance. But it had quickly disappeared, so he hadn't thought much about it. He'd figured it was probably just someone passing by on the lake. He shouldn't have been able to sense Kellar's presence from all the way across the island when je stopped to dump the young woman on the shore.

Joe nodded. "I looked through your chronicles. It doesn't look like you've ever run across this guy. He may have just been passing by the island and decided to use the girl as bait to lure you out. I pulled Kellar's file before I came over here. There's not a whole of information. The best we can figure he became immortal about 250 years ago when he was executed for killing and raping four women over six months, and it gets worse. His first teacher was none other than Kronos. As far as we can tell, he's been raping and killing ever since."

Duncan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Why hasn't he been stopped?" His voice rose in volume and his Scots brogue thickened with each word. "Your watchers just stood by and did nothing. That damned rule of no interference. You stand by and do nothing while people die. The least you could have done was drop some anonymous tips to the police, anything to get that monster off the streets."

It was a familiar argument between the immortal and the watcher. "You know our vow, Mac. We're not supposed to interfere with any aspect of immortal life. Look what's come out of me breaking my vow and getting involved in your life." He was thinking of his trial by the Watcher Tribunal for treason and his subsequent death sentence. Joe shuddered as he remembered having to watch as Jack Shapiro took Jacob Galanti's head, forcing MacLeod to take his friend's quickening.

Duncan shot his friend and watcher a lethal glare and started pacing back and forth across the office. "So, you think it was just pure coincidence that Kellar killed Sarah, but kept Leigh alive and dumped her on my doorstep."

Joe sighed. He did not like the direction this conversation was going. "No. I think you can't rule out the possibility that Kellar is using Leigh to track you down, probably without her knowledge."

MacLeod picked up on his friend's train of thought. "Or, she may have known exactly what he was doing all along." He slammed his fist into the nearby doorframe, breaking more than one knuckle. Joe winced at the pain his friend must have felt. "How could I be so blind!" Duncan stormed out of the office toward the elevator. If Kellar was using Leigh to get to him, with or without her knowledge, she was in more danger than either one of them had ever anticipated. And she was a danger to him.

Joe levered himself to his feet and followed the immortal Scotsman as quickly as his prosthetic legs would allow. "Mac! Wait a minute! What's going on?"

MacLeod waited until his mortal friend had boarded the elevator before he lowered the grate and started it rising toward the loft apartment. "When I returned from the grocery store right before you got here, Leigh was on her way out the door, supposedly to take a walk. I just left her up there with orders to stay put. She probably took off the minute the elevator cleared the floor."

Neither Joe nor Duncan was surprised to find the loft empty. Leigh was nowhere to be found. Duncan quickly searched the loft and found Leigh's personal affects where they belonged. The only things missing were her tennis shoes and the jacket Duncan had bought her the day before. The question of where she had gone remained unspoken between the Highlander and his watcher.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

As soon as Duncan left on the elevator Leigh began pacing around the loft. She had some serious thinking to do, and she needed to get away from the loft for a while. She hadn't been lying when she told Duncan that she was beginning to go stir crazy. And, just maybe, some fresh air and sunshine would help her sort out the fuzzy images and disturbing thoughts that filled her mind and had disturbed her sleep for the last two nights.

Suddenly feeling claustrophobic she decided to go for a walk, damn the consequences. She'd just deal with the High and Mighty Mr. Duncan MacLeod when she got back. She walked for about thirty minutes, lost in thought and totally unaware of her surroundings, before she began feeling tired and weak. Leigh spotted a public garden located beside a church about a block away. She

gratefully sank down onto a bench near the entrance of the garden. Toward the center of the garden was a small play area, heavily populated with yelling and laughing children. She was watching a pair of twin sisters playing tag around a picnic table when the memories came rushing back.

Seattle: One Month Earlier

Sarah and Leigh Gillian had decided to come home from college for the weekend. It was Saturday night, and they had plans to meet a group of their high school friends at the local mall. While they were waiting at the mall entrance, a stranger came up and asked them if they knew the time. Both girls looked down at their watches and were attacked from behind, knocked unconscious, and carried to a nearby van.

When Leigh woke she was terrified. She was blindfolded. She could feel cold air on her flesh, so she knew she was naked. She tried to move, but searing pain in her shoulders and hips caused her to realize that she was bound, hand and foot, in an upright, spread eagle position. In the distance she could hear the sound of something striking flesh and a high-pitched scream of pain. She prayed it wasn't Sarah.

The screams seemed to last an eternity. Shortly after they mercifully ended, Leigh heard a door open and then close and felt a draft on her skin. Footsteps sounded against the floor, and came closer with each step. She felt a presence in front of her. Leigh jerked as the soft touch of a leather-gloved hand caressed her cheek and trembled as the hand moved to fondle her breast and then trailed down her stomach to slip between her legs. Someone's hot breath caressed her cheek, and a cold, raspy voice stated, "So lovely, so pure. It's almost sinful to mar such perfection. But, alas, one must have one's pleasures, and I am lucky enough to have found two beautiful ladies to amuse me." There was a dry, evil laugh and the rough texture of braided leather against her back and buttocks. She pulled against her restraints, trying to escape the cruel touch of the man now standing behind her. "Your sister wasn't easily broken. Let's see how well you do." Leigh heard the whistle of the whip just before she felt the burning trail of pain across her back.

In The Present

Leigh jerked back to awareness and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. A Frisbee lay on top of her foot, and a tow-headed boy was running toward her. "Hey lady, I'm sorry about the Frisbee. Can I have it back, please?" Slightly confused, she handed the toy back to the child and left the bench to wonder toward the front of the nearby church.

She was stunned by the memories that had surfaced. She still didn't remember her own name, but she now knew that Sarah was her twin sister. Leigh wasn't sure how she knew, but she was positive Sarah was dead.

It was beginning to get dark, and she had no idea where she was or how to get back to Duncan's loft. Leigh reviewed her options and decided her best bet was to find a phone and call Duncan to come pick her up.

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Duncan was so angry he couldn't sit still. He paced around the loft, pausing only occasionally to look at Joe, who was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter. "I can't believe she would just leave after I distinctly told her to stay put" He made another circuit around the confined space, reminding Joe of a caged tiger.

"Maybe she did just go for a walk to get some fresh air. It certainly doesn't make sense that she'd be working for Kellar." Joe couldn't help wondering who Duncan was attempting to convince, Joe or himself. "She couldn't fake those injuries, and her reaction to not being able to remember anything was just too real. If it was Kellar who had her, what's to keep him from grabbing her again? Especially if he's been watching this place." The ringing of the telephone interrupted his tirade.

"Will you accept a collect call from Sarah?" At Duncan's affirmative answer, the call was put through. He immediately went on the attack.

"Where the hell are you?"

"I'm across from Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Could you come and get me? I'm sort of lost."

"Stay there, I'm on my way."

Joe, seeing that things here back under control and not wanting to be around to witness the fireworks when Duncan lit into the unfortunate young woman, excused himself with the promise that he would call the following day. Having been on the receiving end of Duncan's temper more than once, he almost felt sorry for Leigh.

Less than twenty minutes after the telephone call, Duncan pulled up in front of the church in his vintage black thunderbird. He rolled down the passenger window and ordered Leigh to get into the car. The drive back to the dojo was made in tense silence.

Duncan managed to hang onto his temper until they reached the dojo. The minute they stepped off the freight elevator into the loft he exploded. "What the hell did you think you were doing going out like that after I expressly told you to stay home." Leigh had begun retreating into the loft. Duncan followed, forcing her back until her knees came into contact with the couch. "Sit down."

Leigh's usual method of handling aggression was to be as smart-mouthed as she could be. "And let you loom over me like some mad-man bent on revenge. I don't think so. I'll remain standing, thank you very much." It was definitely the wrong thing to say.

Duncan's anger soared to new heights. Even Richie knew better than to push him when he was that angry. He shoved her down on to the couch. "I told ye ta sit down. It wasna a request." The depth of his anger was evident by the presence of the Scottish burr he'd worked hard over the centuries to eliminate from his speech. "Now answer my question."

Leigh swallowed hard. She had never faced anyone this angry, and she wasn't quite sure how to handle it. She decided to take a calm, honest approach. "Come on, Duncan, don't have a stroke. I just went for a walk. I had some thinking to do, and I needed to get away from here to do it. I guess I wasn't thinking."

Duncan began pacing back and forth in front of the couch. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before continuing. "You're damned right you weren't thinking. The man who kidnapped you is still out there. What would have stopped him from grabbing you again? I had no idea where you had gone or what had happened to you. There would have been no way I could have stopped him."

Duncan's words pulled at Leigh's subconscious. She was curious as to what MacLeod knew about her abduction. "Duncan, please just let me explain." Since her seemingly docile attitude was such a drastic change from her previous one, Duncan was somewhat suspicious. But he nodded at her to continue.

"About two nights ago I started having these dreams. They were more like a series of disjointed images. I really couldn't make heads or tails of them. What disturbed me even more was that I would remember bits and pieces when I woke up, but not enough to put anything into any kind of coherent picture." Ignoring Duncan's glare, she got up from the couch and walked over to the metal shelf holding the stereo. She began fidgeting with the compact discs stacked neatly beside it. "I thought that maybe if I got out of here for a while and got some fresh air I'd remember something. After our fight earlier, I suddenly felt claustrophobic and just couldn't stay here any longer. So I started walking and ended up at the church. I sat in the garden and watched some children playing."

She shuddered at the thought of the memories that had come back to her. As she related what she had remembered to Duncan, he approached her and pulled her into his arms. "Duncan, I know that my name isn't Sarah. I still don't remember what my name is. Worst of all, I remembered that Sarah is the name of my twin sister. I don't know why, but I'm almost positive she's dead."

Duncan led her back to the couch and urged her to sit down. "When we got back from the island I called a friend and had him see what he could find out." He retrieved the manila folder he'd left on the kitchen counter and handed it to Leigh. "He brought me this. You might want to look at it."

Leigh opened the folder and looked down at the photograph. Ignoring the tears that pooled in her eyes at the site of herself and her twin, she turned the photograph over and looked at the first missing person's report. "Leigh. So that's my name." She read the information on the report and looked up at Duncan. "Did your friend have any information on what happened to Sarah?"

Duncan walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured a generous amount of Scotch into two glasses. He carried them over to the couch, handed one to Leigh and sat down beside her. "Joe, my friend, called in some of his contacts." He took a healthy swallow of the Scotch before continuing. "There's no easy way to say this. You were right, Sarah is dead. Her body was found in a warehouse on the waterfront about two weeks ago. There was some evidence that you had also been held at the warehouse, but there wasn't anything indicating where you were taken after that."

Leigh sipped the Scotch. As the heat of the liquor seeped into her body, she forced herself to relax and comprehend what Duncan had told her. She was silent for several minutes. "They couldn't find me because I had been dumped on your island. Am I right?" Leigh looked at Duncan and saw the answer to her question in his eyes. She also got the impression that there was something he wasn't telling her. She remembered his earlier words about the man who had kidnapped her still being out there. "There's more, isn't there? What aren't you telling me?"

Duncan considered his options and decided it would probably be better for all concerned if he told her want details he knew. The possibility that Leigh was working for Kellar still weighed heavily on his mind. Maybe if he told her what he knew, she would give some kind of indication that would either confirm his suspicions or put them to rest.

"I don't know much, but Joe was able to find out that the police suspect a man named Egan Kellar. He also thinks that Kellar may have kept you alive and dumped you on my island for a reason, but neither of us have any idea why."

Realization dawned on Leigh. "The guy at the mall."

Duncan was confused. "What guy at the mall? What are you talking about?"

"Didn't I tell you? Sarah and I were grabbed from in front of the local mall. We were waiting on our friends when this strange man came up to us and asked us for the time. He was probably Kellar. But why would he dump me on your island? Was it just coincidence, or was it on purpose?"

Duncan sighed and rubbed his hand over his mouth before answering. "I don't know. I'd like the answer to that question myself. I don't remember ever running into anyone by that name. Besides, it's not common knowledge that I have an island in Crystal Lake, much less which island it is." Thinking back on his conversation with Joe, Duncan rose and paced a circuit around the large room, attempting to get his thoughts in order. He certainly didn't want to reveal his secret to Leigh, so he chose his words carefully. "Whether it was coincidence or on purpose, we can't disregard the fact that he may still be out there. It's entirely possible that he's been watching you all this time to see who found you."

That possibility scared Leigh more than she cared to admit. The very thought that Kellar was still out there, ready to grab her again terrified her. "And my impromptu trip could have led him right back here."

Duncan sensed the sudden fear that nearly overwhelmed Leigh. "Maybe. But whether he knows you're here or not, we have to be more careful. I can't fault you for wanting to get out of here for a while. Until we know for sure that he's gone, you're not to leave the dojo without me." He moved to sit back down beside Leigh and took her chin in his hand, raising her face until her eyes met his. What he saw there reassured him that Leigh was just an innocent victim in the sick game Kellar had put into motion. "Is that understood?"


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Joe Dawson dropped by the dojo the following day. He found Duncan in the middle of his daily workout. A young woman he recognized as Leigh Gillian was busy working at the office computer. Joe watched as his friend moved effortlessly through a seamless pattern of a martial arts movements. He was slightly jealous of the Highlander's grace and ease of movement.

Duncan had spotted Dawson as soon as he came through the dojo doors, but decided to finish his kata before greeting his friend. He motioned for his friend to follow him and walked over to a bench against the wall where he picked up a towel and dried the sweat from his face, chest and arms. Keeping his voice quiet so it wouldn't carry into the office, he asked, "Have you found out anything else?"

"Yeah. One of my people spotted Kellar a couple of blocks from here late last night." Joe nodded toward the young woman in the office. "How did it go with her?"

Duncan sat on the bench and glanced toward Leigh. "She had gone for a walk to clear her head. Apparently, she'd been having some flashbacks, but couldn't put them into any sibilance of order. She finally remembered part of her past, but nothing about being left on the island. I don't think she's working with Kellar, but I definitely think he's using her to track me down."

He suddenly felt the presence of another immortal. He moved quickly to the office to retrieve his katana from behind the door. Joe, used to his immortal friends suddenly pulling swords, wasn't surprised, but he was anxious to discover who Duncan's visitor was. Leigh was startled when Duncan entered the office in such a hurry. Her eyes widened when she watched him pull a long, deadly looking sword from behind the door. She ignored his order to stay in the office and followed him into the dojo.

Duncan was standing in the middle of the large room, the sword held loosely at his side. An older man, whom she hadn't noticed before, was standing near the wall. Leigh briefly wondered if he was Duncan's friend, Joe. He appeared to be watching the dojo's entrance as intently as Duncan. They didn't have long to wait. A tall, slender man wearing a long overcoat soon appeared in the entranceway. His right hand was tucked inside his coat and appeared to be holding something. Shock born of recognition shot through Leigh, causing her to gasp. "Kellar."

MacLeod heard Leigh's gasp and her whispered statement, but he did not allow himself to be distracted. While he really didn't want to engage in a sword fight in the dojo, especially while two mortals were present, he was prepared to face any challenge that might be issued. "I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. Should I assume you are Egan Kellar?"

"Ah, yes, the legendary Highlander. I see you know who I am. Should I be flattered?" The man in the doorway laughed eerily and nodded in Leigh's direction. "I had wondered who found my little toy. When I felt that quickening while on Crystal Lake I couldn't resist the urge to investigate. When I discovered it was holy ground, I decided to bait the trap and see what I would catch. Who would have thought I'd haul in such a prize." Kellar looked directly at Leigh. "Tell me, my dear, do you think my victory over your protector will be as sweet as my victory over your sister?"

Duncan resisted the urge to turn and order Leigh to leave the room. He wasn't about to give Kellar any kind of opening in which to attack. For some reason, he suspected Kellar wasn't the kind to play by the rules. "Leave her out this. She's no longer part of it. It's between you and me." Kellar pulled his sword from his coat and started advancing toward Duncan. The look in his

eyes was slightly insane with the anticipation of the battle to come. He halted at the Highlander's words. "Not here! There are too many witnesses. Meet me at midnight on Pier Six. You'll get your chance to try to take my head then."

Although he was disappointed that he would have to wait to taste the Highlander's quickening, Kellar backed down. "Later, then. I'll look forward to it." With a nod in Leigh's direction, Kellar returned his sword to his coat and slipped out the door.

Duncan tucked his katana under his right arm. He turned, and after catching Joe's eyes, motioned him toward the elevator. Only then did he turn his attention toward Leigh. She was staring at him, her expression a mixture of shock and fear. She cringed back when he approached. He chose to ignore her action and, taking her by the arm, led her to the elevator.

Once the elevator reached the loft Joe headed straight for Duncan's liquor cabinet and poured them each a stiff drink. Leigh was pressed into the corner of the elevator. Duncan wasn't sure whether her sudden fear was the result of seeing Kellar again or witnessing the exchange between the two immortals. Either way, he didn't have the time or the patience to deal with her fear. He had to make plans for his confrontation with Kellar. Duncan reached for her, and Leigh again cringed back from his touch.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You should know that by now, but I don't have time for this." He grasped her wrist and pulled her into the loft. As soon as she was seated, Joe handed her the tumbler filled with whiskey.

Leigh took a sip of the whiskey and shuddered as the liquid burned its way to her stomach. "That man… he's the one who kidnapped me." She turned toward Duncan, who had moved to lean against the nearby wall. "What was that with the swords? Why did you tell Kellar he'd have to wait for the chance to take your head? What the hell is going on here?" Her voice became more and more hysterical with each word.

Duncan wasn't thrilled about the idea of revealing his secret, but he could see no other way. He pulled the low coffee table over to in front of Leigh's chair and sat down on its edge so that they were eye to eye. "Before I explain what you witnessed, you have to promise me you won't reveal anything I tell you to anyone, ever. It could very well mean life or death or me and many of my friends."

Leigh wasn't so sure she wanted to learn such a secret, but she wanted to understand what she had witnessed downstairs in the dojo. She looked at Joe, who was sitting on a stool at the kitchen bar. Understanding her silent question, he stated, "Yes, I know what Duncan is going to tell you. And, yes, it is a very much a matter of life or death. It is also something that will call into question everything you've ever believed. You need to think real hard before you give your promise, because once it's given your life will never be the same."

After several minutes, Leigh turned to Duncan. "I promise I'll keep your secret."

Duncan nodded and took her hands in his. How many times have I done this in the last several years. It never gets easier to bear my soul, my life to a virtual stranger, he thought. "I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. I was born over 400 years ago in the Highlands of Scotland, and I am immortal. I cannot die unless my head is severed from my body. When an immortal is beheaded that immortal's power and knowledge is transferred to the victor through an electrical reaction called the quickening. All immortals are engaged in a time-old battle that we call the Game. In the end, there can be only one immortal left. That immortal will possess all the knowledge and power of all the immortals who ever lived." He paused to give Leigh a chance to absorb that information.

"Kellar's immortal too, isn't he?" she asked. When Duncan answered in the affirmative, she continued. "So that's what the swords were about. You're going to meet tonight and try to take each other's head." Again, Duncan answered in the affirmative. "And the winner will receive the other's quickening. Okay, I understand all that, but I don't get something. Kellar said something about sensing your quickening, and you seemed to know he was coming before he ever entered the door. What's up with that?"

"Immortals can sense each other. It's how we recognize each other and prepare for battle. Earlier I sensed Kellar's presence and knew he was coming. I had been expecting him, so I had my katana handy. About an hour or so before I found you on the island I had sensed an immortal on the very edge of my range. I didn't think much about it. The island is holy ground, so I knew I was safe. I just figured that there was another immortal passing by on the lake. It's happened several times before. The area where he left you was far enough away that I couldn't sense him. By the time I found you, he was long gone."

Leigh couldn't sit still any longer. She began pacing back and forth across the room. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. People who lived forever unless they were beheaded – it was the stuff of science fiction novels, not real life. The only reason she was still alive was that Kellar

had used her as bait to track down an unknown immortal. She had lived, only to lead someone else to his possible death. Leigh stopped pacing and went to stand in front of Duncan. "I don't want you to fight Kellar tonight."

Of all the reactions Duncan had expected, he had never even considered this one. "What?"

"I don't want you to fight Kellar. You don't need to die because of me," Leigh repeated.

To say he was surprised was an understatement. "I have no choice. I am going to fight Kellar whether you want me to or not. He has to be stopped, and the police can't do anything about it."

"Duncan, your life is in danger because of me. I couldn't handle it if Kellar was to kill you. Don't you get it? Kellar kept me alive only to use me to track down the mysterious immortal he'd sensed. If you die, it will be my fault."

Joe had left his seat on the stool and had come to stand beside Leigh. He placed a hand on her shoulder to gain her attention. "You don't need to worry about Mac. He's one of the best. As far as immortals go, he's relatively young, but he's one of the strongest. There aren't that many out there who can beat him. Kellar isn't that good a swordsman. He doesn't stand a chance."

She whirled to face Joe. "And just how do you know what kind of swordsman Kellar is? How can you be so certain he won't beat Duncan? He doesn't exactly strike me as the kind to play by the rules."

Duncan started to respond, but Joe beat him to it. "I belong to a group called the Watchers." He had no compunction sharing this bit of information. After all, it was likely he would be inducting Leigh into the group very soon. We observe the immortals and record their histories. As to Kellar's abilities, I've pulled his records. Besides, I plan on being there to make sure Kellar doesn't try anything sneaky."

Duncan just sighed and shook his head. "I suppose it would be a waste of my time and energy to try and convince you both to stay away from the fight."

Joe and Leigh answered simultaneously, "Yes!"

Resigned to the fact that his fight with Kellar would have at least two mortal observers, Duncan replied, "I thought so."

XxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Midnight found the immortal and his mortal companions on Pier Aix awaiting the arrival of one Egan Kellar. Duncan was standing in full view in the middle of the pier. The light from a nearby warehouse washed over him. Joe and Leigh were safely hidden behind some crates at the far end of the wooden structure. Unbeknownst to Duncan, Joe had stationed several other Watchers around the battle area. They had been given instructions to watch Kellar closely for any tricks he might pull. If they spotted anything, they were to radio Joe. They thought they were just assisting Joe in getting an accurate account of the fight. Little did they know they would be assisting in violating the non-interference rule.

Kellar approached Duncan from behind. At the first hint of another immortal's presence Duncan had turned to face the direction from which his opponent was approaching. As soon as Kellar was within speaking distance, Duncan began taunting him.

"You're late. You were so eager to fight this morning I would have thought you be here waiting. What's wrong? Having second thoughts?"

Refusing to allow the Highlander's words to anger him, Kellar stepped into the light and returned Duncan's taunt. "I sincerely apologize for making you wait. I was busy preparing the reception I have planned for Leigh after I take your head. I've missed her so much these last couple of weeks. She is so much stronger than her sister. I'm going to really enjoy breaking her.

Duncan was thankful that Leigh was out of earshot. He'd already made arrangements for Joe to take care of Leigh and get her back to her parents in the event that Kellar should win. He decided playtime was over. It was time to get down to business. "Did you come here to talk, Kellar, or did you come here to fight?"

Kellar growled in response. He raised his sword to the attack position and advanced toward Duncan. The Highlander met Kellar's attack and quickly put the other immortal on the defensive. Kellar was nowhere near as skilled with a sword as he thought he was. He relied mainly on brute strength to wear down his opponent rather than on any talent he might possess. Faced with Duncan's superior skill, Kellar's strength was soon depleted. Duncan had managed to break through Kellar's defenses and leave numerous cuts all over the other man's body. Although the cuts healed, the rate of regeneration slowed as the fight progressed, and the blood loss served to weaken him even further.

When he realized he was about to lose his head, Kellar quickly moved out of Duncan's reach, pulled a gun from inside his coat and aimed it at the Highlander. Before Kellar could fire the gun, Duncan closed the distance between them. At the same time he brought his katana down to sever Kellar's hand, a shot range out in the distance. The bullet caught Kellar in shoulder. He fell to his knees, and Duncan moved to stand over him. He raised his katana over his head, and with one swift stroke, severed Kellar's head from his shoulders. "Say hello to Kronos for me."

Aware of his proximity to his mortal friends, Duncan tried to put as much space between himself and Kellar's headless body as possible. He hadn't gotten more than a hundred feet before the quickening overtook him.

Leigh watched in fascination as an incandescent cloud formed around Kellar's body. The cloud seemed to move in Duncan's direction. Blue-white streaks of lightening crackled through the air striking indiscriminately at everything within reach. Shards of glass showered down on the scene as the windows in the warehouse exploded outward. In the middle of the maelstrom was Duncan. He appeared to be writhing in agony as streaks of lightening encircled him and moved along his body. His screams of pain carried to where she and Joe were hiding. It was an eternity before the quickening ended. She started to go to him, but Joe held her back.

"We'll wait for him at the loft. We'll only slow him down here." Sirens were sounding in the distance and were getting closer by the second. "We need to get out of here. Mac will be okay. See, he's gone already."

Leigh looked at the spot where she had last seen Duncan. As Joe had said, he was gone. A dark, windowless van had appeared, and the body was being loaded in the back. "What's going on?"

"Come on, let's go. We can't be caught here. I'll explain on the way to the dojo." Joe grasped her arm and started dragging her toward the car. Once they were on the road headed toward the dojo he explained. "Those men were Watchers. If we observe a beheading we make an effort to get rid of the body before it's discovered or before the authorities show up. If too many headless bodies show up, they're going to start digging. In this age of technology, it wouldn't take them long to discover what's going on. That could be disastrous, not only for the Immortals, but for the Watchers as well. Discovery could mean death for everyone involved."

Joe and Leigh arrived back at the loft only moments after Duncan. He excused himself long enough to take a quick shower.

Dressed in worn blue jeans and a loose sweater, with his hair still damp from his shower, Duncan left the bathroom to find Joe gone and Leigh curled up asleep on the couch. He gently lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bed. She stirred as he tucked her in. Duncan tamped down the desire he felt while holding her in his arms. Any way he looked at it, she was little more than a child. He tucked her beneath the covers and stood watching her as she slept. As much as he appreciated her looks, he greatly admired her strength. Not many people would have survived what Kellar had put her through. He would almost be sorry to see her go.

XxxxxxxX XxxxxxX XxxxxxX

Early the next morning, Duncan contacted the Seacouver Police Department. The police detective listened while Duncan related the story of finding Leigh and her memory loss. He was somewhat skeptical that the young woman had just recently remembered what had happened. However, since Duncan's story was verified in part by the sheriff in Beaver Falls, he had no choice but to believe Duncan. By the time Leigh awoke and ate breakfast, her parents had been contacted by the Seacouver police and were making arrangements to leave for Seacouver as soon as possible.

Leigh slept late the next morning and awoke to an empty loft. She quickly showered and grabbed a light breakfast before going in search of Duncan. She found him downstairs in the dojo office. She tapped lightly on the doorframe to get his attention.

"Duncan, I'm sorry to disturb you, but could we talk for a couple of minutes?" Leigh wanted to thank him for everything he had done. She was convinced that he was the only reason she was still alive. She was also ashamed that Kellar had used her as a pawn against him.

"Sure, Leigh. Come on in and sit down." Duncan sensed that she was disturbed about something, but felt it best that she bring up the subject.

Leigh sat down across from Duncan's desk. "Um, I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I don't think I would have survived without your help. I also wanted to apologize for nearly costing you your life. I don't know how I can make it up to you."

Duncan had been expecting something along those lines. He moved around the desk and crouched down in front of Leigh's chair. "You don't have anything to apologize for. It wasn't your fault Kellar kidnapped you or killed your sister. And you certainly aren't to blame for being used as a pawn. All that was done against your will and without your knowledge. You've seen enough of my life to understand that what happened with Kellar wasn't new or unusual." Leigh nodded.

"Do you remember me telling you about my girlfriend, Tessa?" Again, Leigh nodded. "She was kidnapped and used as bait to lure me into a trap. I was able to rescue her. But, when I sent her out to the car to wait while I dealt with her kidnapper a mugger shot her. My immortality often puts those around me, even those I don't know, in danger. It's a fact of life for me and something I've come to accept."

Movement at the entrance of the dojo caught his attention. He looked up to see an older couple accompanied by a uniformed Seacouver police officer. Duncan stood and pulled Leigh to her feet. "Do you want to know what you can do for me?"

"Yes, I do."

"You can go on with your life. Finish school. Complete whatever goals and plans you had set for yourself before this whole mess happened. Use the gifts you have been given to help others, and in the process become the best person you can possibly be." He drew her into his arms for a quick hug then released her. "There's some people here who would like to see you."

Leigh turned to follow Duncan's gaze and saw her parents standing in the middle of the dojo. She gave Duncan another quick hug and ran to embrace them.

The End

Author's Note: I have a few other older Highlander stories that I will revise and post as I have time.


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